The present invention relates to improvements in a massage machine.
In general, various massage techniques are known. These techniques include softly rubbing the skin (soft rubbing method), adding massage to the soft rubbing method by performing massage and rubbing simultaneously (strong rubbing method), massaging muscles (massaging method), adding kneading to the massage method by performing massage and kneading simultaneously (massage kneading method), striking the body (striking method), pushing while vibrating (vibrating pushing method), applying pressure to one position intermittently or continuously (pressure method), and moving each part of a body forcibly (movement method). None of the prior art massage machines, however, can apply a plurality of these techniques simultaneously, nor can they perform a massage as delicate as can be performed by hands.
An example of a prior art massage machine is shown in FIGS. 27 and 28 and has a structure in which are installed a lateral pair of rotational shafts 607, 607 each having a vertical shaft portion 607a and an oblique shaft portion 607b and being bent in a " " shape (or crank shape). The oblique shaft portion 607b (crank top end portion) is projected through a top plate of a housing 601, and kneading balls 609, 609 are loosely fitted to the oblique shaft portions 607b (crank top end portions) and can be oscillated and rotated by rotation of the rotational shafts 607, 607. More specifically, a diseased part (body part to be massaged) is grasped between the kneading balls 609, 609 and through oscillating rotation thereof, a kneading function is obtained.